Combination tube and brush holder



May 26, 1931. w. E. BRACEY ET AL COMBINATION TU BE AND BRUSH HOLDER Filed Feb. 18. 1928 Patented May 26, I 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM E. BRACEY AND LYFUS w. BRAMBLETT, or DALLAS, TEXAS GOEBINATION TUBE AND BRUSH HOLDER One object of the invention is to provide a holder for collapsible tubes and provided invention will be hereinafter described, to-

drawings, in which an example of the invenwith a self-closing cap for sealing the tube,

whereby it is not necessary to screw on the usual cap.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tube holder equipped with a cap operating means and a support for the tube so located that the tube may be squeezed and the cap operating means manipulated with the same hand, whereby the other hand is free to hold the tooth brush.

Another feature-of the invention resides in a spring clamp for retaining the collapsible tube in position in the holder.

A construction designed to carry out the gether with other features of the invention.

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of the following specification and by reference to th'e'accompanying tion is shown and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a device constructed inaccordance with our invention, Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same showing a tube in place in the holder,

Fig. 3 is an end elevation,

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 4-4 OfFig. 1, and

Fig. 5 is a detail of the modified form of lin the drawings the numeral 10 designates a supporting bracket having an arm 11 bent at substantially right angles thereto for mounting the bracket on a wall or other suitable place as by screws 12 or other means. The arm is provided with an outwardly di rected flange 13 formed with keyhole slots 14 for receiving tooth brushes. A horizontal table'or shelf 15 is suitably fastened at one end to a horizontal plate 16 attached to the upper edge of the bracket. The particular manner of connecting the table and the bracket is immaterial. J

To hold in place a tube A, a spring clamp is provided and this clamp includesa vertical fixed 7 bar 17 and a vertical pivoted bar 18 which constitutes a lever. The bar 18 is pivoted to the outer face of the bracket 10 on a stud 19. The bars project above the table and below the bracket and the bar 17' has a fixed jaw 20at its top, while the bar 18 has a movable jaw 21 at its top, said jaws being complementary. The jaws are dished and each'has a notch-22. The dished portions ofthe jaws receive the crowned head B of'the tube A, while the neck O is received in said notches, whereby the tube is clamped in place.

The bar or lever 18 has a lug 23 bent therefrom and supporting one end of a coiled spring 24, which is disposed on the inside of the bracket 10 and has its opposite end attached to an ear 25 carried by said bracket. The function of this spring is to hold the jaws in clamping relation about the neck C,

said spring being located above the pivot 19.

The bars 17 and 18 projecting below the bracket have their lower ends rounded and provide grips so that the operator may grasp the same and by swinging the lower end of the lever 18 inwardly, the jaw 21 at its upper end is swung from the jaw 20, said jaws thus being opened to release or. receive the neck O of the tube. By this simple mechanism the tube may be easily and quickly placed in position or removed as may be desired.

One of the features of the invention is a self-closing cap and in carrying this out a bar 26 is directed downwardly from the central portion of the table 15, preferably from one end of theplate 16, as is illustrated. The bar constitutes a hanger-and a lever 27 is pivoted on the lower end of the bar by means of a stud 28. A coiled spring 29 has one end attached to the upper portion of the hanger,

while its opposite end is connected to the lever between the hanger and the bracket. This lever is twisted and bent at substantially right-angles toprovide-an upright arm 30. The lever is located so-as to extend between the bars17 and 18 below the bracket 10.

On the upper end of the arm 30 we providea cap 31 having a pad 32 mounted therein. The

,pad is somewhat larger than the neck O of the tube and is made of cork or any other material suitable for the purpose of forming an efiective seal and closure when brought into engagement with the neck C of the tube. This cap may be rigidly mounted on the arm, as is shown in Figs. 1 and 2, or a pivoted'cap 33 may be mounted on the upper end of the arm 30, as is shown in Fig. 5. This cap has ag pad 34 in one end. The-cap 'being pivoted, will more readily aline the face of its pad with the end of the neck C. The lever 27 is also twisted at 35 and bent at substantially right-angles to form a'fi'at handle" 36"uiider- 36 upwardly the arm 30 will be swung out wardly and downwardly,:as is shown-in dot ted lines in Fig. 1. This will remove the cap and pad from the neckof the tubal-thusopening the same.

1 It isobvious' that tooth'brushes4nay either besupported: in the slots 14k of the shelf 13 or atsome other place,1'the shelf not-= being an essential feature of the invention, 1 but greatlyadd ing to the convenience ot the device. 1

In-using-the device; the operator places the tube 'A- on theshelf 15. This; tube may conta in tooth paste, or where the device is -not' used in co'nnection with ja tooth brush, but for some-other purpose, it is obvious that: any

collapsible tube may be placedon the'table 15'.-

ltwill be assumed that the-tube A contains tooth paste. The operator-graspsthe-lower ends of-the bars 17'and 18 and swings the bar 18 toopen the j aWsQOjand 21, asis shown 1 indot-tedlines-in Fig;4. The h'ead B of the g ment toward thesame when the %cap is with tube is moved into the dished portions ofi the jaws and the neck C is located in the notches 22. W/Vhen the lever 18 isre'leased, the spring 24," which has been. tension'ed, wi l-l: swingthe lever 18 inwardly, whereby the =neck-Cwill be clamped in said j aws.

usual screw cap is-rem'oved and discarded, and consequently when the neck C is inserted in the notches 22 its openend will-come into contact with the pad82 whichwillthus close thetube and take the place oftheusual ca-p. Said pad l-being made-of cork, or other suitable material, w ill provide a: tight closure.

WVhenthe operator desires to obtain paste from the-tube,-he places his hand around the tube and shelf, the latter being' narr'ow, and grasps the handle 36. 'He is thus enabled to first swing the handle 36 t1pwardly,'where by the cap31 is swung away; as is shownin Fig. 1, and the neck thus opened. -He'=has:

then merely, while holding the handle-in this position, to squeezethet-ube A-and thus eject tooth paste from the neck Q which maybe caught upon the tooth brush-held in the'other hand. -When he "releases the handle36 the spring 29 swings-the armsBOand the ca-p 31, thus closing the tube. It is pointed out that the tube is h'eld conveniently and firmly. It is advantageous to have the tube supported horizontallyasthis Before inserting the tubein the devicethe 1 alterations, may-be made-within the-scope of the-appended -claims. a

WVhat we claim, is:

r 1. Ina tube holder, a bracket. having a 'tube supporting tableandadapte'd to be riglying the table 15. By swinging the-handle idly mounted, whereby said table is sup ported in a horizontal position, automaticallyrlosin-g clamping jaws carried by the bracket in a vertical plane at one end of the table tor'receiving the neck of a tube mounted on: saidtable, 1a leven pivota lly supported.

intermediate its ends under the table-rand,

J having a handle underlyingsaid; table,: an

. arin'c ar-niedlbythe lever, and? a} cap-mounted. onvthe armin position-for engaging-the end" ofithe' neck'oi the tube;

2. In a tube holder, a rigidly mounted suptact 'withthe body ofa'collapsible tube; autoport: having an, elongated 'm'ember- :Eorcon- 'matically- ClOSlHg.,' jElJWS:-,IEOI engaging and clamping-'the neck of said tube atone end of,

said-.member, andza tube' closure device} in.-

eluding a lever pivotal-ly-mounted on the'sup- .port under springtension'and carrying at one enda closure oap-andfin.operatinghandle at the opposite. side otthe lever pivot.

from the cap and disposed substantially parallel to saidelongated memberion-movedrawn;

In a tube-liolder,arigidlymountedsupport having a member contacting withi-the body of'a collapsible tube,-a. fixed clam-ping jaw mounted upon the. supportat oneend of;

said member, a cooperating pivoted jaw haw ing; an-operating handle; a spring extending fromsaidpivoted jaw to-the-support, alever V mountedonsaid support and; carrying aeap ing handle for saidleven at theiopposite side of its pivot from the-cap-Vandmovable toward the tube supporting 'meinber when lthe cap -is-with.d=rawn-.

l. In a tube holder, a tubesupport adapted.

to be rigidly mounted andhavin-gafacefor supporting the body of av collapsibletube a, lever pivoted on the support at itsliaceoPpo site; the tube supporting face and havingsa. cap mounted at one endthereof. for engaging the end ot the tube,;resi l ient means: car riedby the "support.- and engaged with the. lever'for-holding the cap in. contact with the from said' lever :disposed to move toward gaged from the end of the tube; y p

5.4 In. a; tube holder; a bracket hav-i g a tube supporting table and adaptedto. he? gidly mounted, automatically closing clamping jaws carried by the bracket at one end of the table for receiving the neck of a tube mounted on the table, a lever pivotally supported from the table intermediate its ends and having a handle disposed to swing to- Ward and from said table, an arm carried by the lever, and a cap mounted on the arm in position for engaging the end of the neck of the tube.

In testimony whereof we afiix our signatures.

WILLIAM E. BRACEY. LYFUS W. BRAMBLETT. 

